


Ruin The Friendship

by WelshWitch1011



Category: Magnum P.I. (TV 2018)
Genre: AU, Angst, F/M, Fix It, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-15 17:02:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29687124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WelshWitch1011/pseuds/WelshWitch1011
Summary: “Do you want to tell me what happened?” She watched her stare silently down at the ring, twisting it experimentally around in the light, lost in thought.“Ethan proposed.”
Relationships: Juliet Higgins/Thomas Sullivan Magnum IV
Comments: 39
Kudos: 128





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This fic will be in two parts. It's honestly nothing more than another exercise in getting rid of Ethan - who, let's be honest - I absolutely detest.
> 
> I own nothing! 
> 
> I'm still finding my feet with this fandom and characters, so I hope you all like it. :)

Being the Cultural Curator of Robin’s Nest was a role that carried great responsibility; not just towards the land and the upkeep of history, but for the well-being of those who now called the sprawling estate their home. It wasn’t strictly in the job description, of course. But whilst Kumu acted as a protector and advocate for her ancestors, she had somehow found herself acting in the same capacity for those she considered her living, breathing family.

Which included the rigid, uptight, former MI6 agent who was currently wearing a trench into the floor of the den.

It had taken Kumu all of a week after they’d first met to work out that beneath that tough, aloof, and sometimes cold exterior, Juliet Higgins was a genuinely warm, kind-hearted person. And, as their friendship had blossomed, Kumu found herself the confidant of Juliet’s past heartbreaks. Of the loss of her mother. Her fiance’s untimely death. And the fear of ever letting herself love and be hurt again. Over the years that grief and pain had translated into almost paralysing fear, and in an act of self preservation, the young woman had erected a wall around her heart that deterred anybody from getting close to her.

Unfortunately for Juliet, that wall hadn’t been quite as impenetrable as she’d intended for it to be.

Which is why Kumu watched with growing fascination as Juliet - an arguably intelligent, capable young woman - initially waged war against the man who’d dared to place a chink in her suit of armour. Thomas Magnum took her caustic barbs and derisive quips in good spirit, until he eventually wore her down with his affable nature, kind heart, and fierce loyalty. Despite her best efforts they’d become friends, even business partners, and she’d found herself unwillingly falling in love with a man who she knew had the power to break her fragile heart all over again.

So she pushed him away. She dated somebody else. She continued to tease and provoke, to jar him with half-hearted barbs that he deflected with little more than a knowing smile.

Because of course, he’d fallen in love with her too.

Kumu often debated staging an intervention. Perhaps locking them in the wine cellar together until they worked out their issues. But then the dreaded Dr. Shah had come along, and Juliet had thrown herself head long into a relationship so insincere and forced, that it had been almost painful to watch. Kumu knew that he was little more than a distraction, a ploy Higgins had constructed to keep her mind and heart off the man she really loved.

Because if she let herself love Magnum, she was opening herself up to heartbreak once again, and Juliet knew that the possibility of losing _him_ would almost certainly break her irrevocably.

So she convinced herself that she was happy, that this safety bubble she had created for herself would keep her heart protected. But of course, all bubbles burst eventually.

Given her current state, Kumu assumed that that was the case, and that reality had now come crashing down on Juliet Higgins. She suspected a few home truths had been revealed that the former spy would have no choice but to finally address. They'd all seen the fear in her eyes when Magnum had offered himself to Hamler in her place. Later on, after Magnum was safe and the gang were reunited at La Mariana, TC would tell her how they'd watched Higgins rush into Thomas' arms, and the raw emotion and sheer desperation on both of their faces had been impossible to ignore. 

Since then, Juliet had been more tentative and subdued when discussing Ethan. She'd text him instead of call. She spent less time at his apartment, and their date nights seemed to have decreased in frequency. TC and Kumu had both suddenly found themselves hopeful that there was now perhaps an end in sight to this painful charade. 

“Is something wrong, Juliet?” Kumu smiled warmly, already knowing the answer to that question, as she watched the young woman sink down into a chair and heave out a deep sigh. Higgins avoided her gaze, twisting a sparkling diamond ring around the tip of her finger as she shook her head listlessly.

“No. Yes.” She shrugged, staring down at her hands as she offered Kumu a helpless shrug. “To tell you the truth, Kumu, I’m not even sure anymore.”

That weekend Higgins had been away on a mini-break with Ethan, leaving Kumu largely in charge of the estate. Though Magnum had preoccupied himself with a new case in her absence, he’d been quiet and withdrawn, and Kumu had found it difficult to see such sadness in his eyes. He’d missed Juliet’s presence acutely, but more than that, he’d hated to think about her off on a romantic jaunt with her tall, dark, handsome doctor.

And Kumu couldn’t blame him in the slightest. They all knew that Ethan Shah wasn’t the one for Juliet, if only the young woman herself would come to realise it too.

“Do you want to tell me what happened?” Kumu took a seat beside her, reaching out and placing her hand gently on Juliet’s arm. She watched her stare silently down at the ring, twisting it experimentally around in the light, lost in thought.

“Ethan proposed.” Higgins stated bluntly. Lips drawn into a sour expression as she lifted her brown eyed gaze towards the window and stared out across the estate.

Kumu mouthed a silent ‘oh’, trying to dismiss the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach as she almost winced in anticipation. Thomas would be utterly heartbroken.

“And, you said?”

“I said ‘no’.” Higgins turned her head sharply, looking at Kumu as if she’d lost her mind for even contemplating the alternative.

Smiling patiently, Kumu shrugged. She knew Higgins hated talking about her feelings and would do all in her power to avoid it. But she wasn’t letting her off the hook that easily, not when the stakes were so high. “Juliet, I’m afraid you’re going to have to give me a little more to go on here.”

Looking to all intents and purposes like she was about to undergo root canal surgery, Higgins fidgeted in her seat. Finally, after painful seconds had ticked by, she glanced up and looked at her friend with an expression that Kumu easily identified as guilt.

“Well, I suppose the truth of the matter is…I’m not in love with him. Ethan’s a good man, Kumu. He’s intelligent, caring, successful…” She struggled to complete her appraisal, throwing her hands up in exasperation. “He has a good sense of humour. He’s…ambitious, and…dedicated…”

Kumu merely listened, trying to keep her expression impassive, but no matter how hard she’d tried, she just couldn’t bring herself to care for the young man. She doubted that his absence would be felt by any of the other members of their ohana, either.

Higgins floundered, looking back down at her lap as she sighed. “He’s just not…”

Kumu smiled briefly, more than able to fill in the proverbial blanks for herself; _‘He’s not Thomas_ ’.

Leaning forward in her seat, Higgins rested her elbows on her thighs and ran her hands through her hair. “I threw myself into this relationship, Kumu. I really tried to make it work...I...I just...”

Halting Juliet’s tirade by gently squeezing her arm, Kumu waited until she’d once again raised her head and she could look her friend in the eye. It was time to talk about the elephant in the room. Or, in this case - the PI in the guest house.

“Juliet, do you think that if it was real love, you’d have to try that hard?”

Higgins was quiet for a moment, letting Kumu’s question sink in. She was exhausted by trying to make this relationship work; weary of stilted conversations, of never feeling comfortable enough to really tell him about herself or her past. She was tired of not feeling like herself when she was around him.

She was tired of the lies.

Dropping her head into her hands, Juliet appeared suddenly mortified. “I’m so sorry, Kumu. I’ve acted like a complete idiot over the whole thing. Goodness knows what you all must think of me, now!”

Kumu reached out and rubbed her back gently, biting her cheek to prevent a chuckle as Higgins released an exasperated _‘Ughhh_!’ into her hands as she thought over her behaviour over the last few months.

Apollo trotted over at the expression of apparent anguish from his mistress, laying his enormous head on her knee as if offering comfort. Higgins reached down and ruffled his ears, stroking his head gently as he sat stoically at her side.

She watched her fingertips stroke his dark fur, finding some comfort in the repetition and the animal’s unfailing loyalty. She swallowed hard, her tone hesitant. “When I said I couldn’t marry him, Ethan accused me of being in love with somebody else…which is absurd.”

“ _Is it_?” Kumu countered gently, widening her eyes to encourage Juliet to continue.

“And then he implied that… that this _other person_ , is in love with me, too.”

In actual fact, Ethan had followed up his accusations with some rather disparaging comments about Magnum that had led to the couple having an explosive argument. Juliet had packed her bag and stormed out, but not before Ethan had pressed the ring box into her hand and implored her to rethink her answer.

She’d thought about nothing else from the moment she'd left the hotel room. But her mind remained made up. She couldn’t marry Ethan Shah, because in all the ridiculous, girlish fantasies she’d allowed herself to have over her wedding day, it wasn’t him she dreamed of marrying. It wasn’t Ethan’s ring on her finger, or his smile reflected in the faces of her children.

Nodding her head sagely, Kumu ventured to direct Juliet’s gaze out of the window to the smaller building lying within clear sight of the den. Gently cajoling her, she smiled patiently. “Would this _other person_ happen to be the smart-ass who lives in the guest house?”

Surprised to see the glisten of unshed tears in Juliet’s eyes, Kumu frowned as she watched the young woman inhale sharply, as if battling to keep her tears at bay. 

“Magnum’s not in love with me?!” It was posed as neither a question nor a statement, and Higgins looked so utterly wretched that the older woman couldn’t help but feel for her.

Magnum was, evidently, head over heels in love with her. It was a simple fact acknowledged between all of the friends, universally accepted, yet seldom talked about. But Kumu knew she couldn’t be the one to break the news, or betray Magnum's confidence. Besides, it was more than time for the couple to finally have an open and honest conversation with each other about the feelings they so clearly reciprocated.

Because Kumu had a sneaking suspicion that if they would only be brave enough to admit their feelings, they’d find the happiness that had alluded each of them for so long. She saw it in the way they looked at each other, not like friends, certainly not like business partners; it was love, pure and simple. And she was rarely wrong about these things.

“You’d have to ask him that yourself.” Kumu replied, holding Juliet’s gaze long enough to convey that she should, absolutely, have this conversation with her lovelorn partner.

For the first time in their friendship, Kumu saw palpable, chaotic fear written on Higgin’s face. Wringing her hands anxiously in her lap, she stared up wide-eyed at her friend and confidant.

“I can’t.” She said simply, her tone and expression both betraying her unease. “What if he says yes?”

Taking a moment to consider the alternatives and her true feelings for the man in question, Juliet shrugged helplessly. She blinked as a tear pricked at her lashes, followed by another and another, until a mournful sob twisted her lips into a frown.

“ _What if he says no_?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for reading and for your very kind comments. 
> 
> There may be an epilogue to follow. I haven't decided yet.

Giving Juliet little more than five minutes to gather herself - or her thoughts, Kumu had hurriedly escorted the young woman across the estate practically depositing her on Magnum’s doorstep.

Higgins rolled her eyes as Kumu leant past her and knocked decisively on the door of the guest house. “Yes. Thank you, Kumu, but I think I can take it from here.”

Kumu looked her up and down in an appropriately unconvinced manner; all evidence to the contrary.

Clearing her throat, Kumu suddenly held out her hand expectantly towards her friend, eyes wide with impatience. Juliet frowned, following Kumu’s pointed nod towards the ring still precariously balanced on the tip of her finger.

“Don’t worry, I’ll put it straight into your desk drawer…so you can return it to him.”

Higgins didn’t miss the added emphasis on ‘return it to him’, and she smiled despite the building trepidation that was now reaching almost fever pitch as she heard Magnum approaching the door.

To say he looked dishevelled was an understatement. Higgins had assumed that once the business with the white SUV had been dealt with, that Magnum would be sleeping better. Apparently that hadn’t been the case. He had bags under his eyes, his complexion was bordering on pallid, and his hair flopped down into his eyes as if he’d just dragged himself out of bed.

“Ladies.” He greeted them with evident surprise, stifling a yawn as he noted the concerned expression on both of their faces and tried not to read too much into Higgin’s apparent sympathy towards him. He knew she’d been away with Ethan, and he suspected he knew the reason behind the doctor’s suggestion of a romantic weekend break. Combined with the slightly nervous demeanour that had settled over his partner, he assumed he could probably guess the reason for her impromptu visit. 

“Oh, I’m not staying.” Kumu stated, giving Juliet the slightest of nudges towards the doorstep. Magnum narrowed his eyes at the almost hopeful expression on the older woman’s face, but he dismissed his suspicions quickly. It wasn’t as if Kumu liked Ethan, and besides, he was almost certain that she knew how he felt about Higgins. Everybody else apparently did, despite his protestations to the contrary.

“Can I come in?” Higgins asked tentatively, immediately setting Magnum’s nerves on edge. Higgins never asked to come in to the guest house, she barged in whenever she felt like it; not that he minded in the slightest.

Deciding to just rip the proverbial band aid off in one go, Magnum nodded his head, shrugging non-committally as he ushered her inside.

“How was your weekend?”

Higgins slipped past him, taking a seat on the sofa, her hands clasped together in her lap. He couldn’t see any trace of an engagement ring, at least. Maybe they were moving in together, instead? Whatever it was, he felt sure she was about to tell him and finally break what was left of his fragile heart.

Juliet cleared her throat uncomfortably. “That’s uh…that’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about.”

“ _Okay_.” Magnum shook his head, taking a seat in the armchair a good few feet away from her. Being around her was hard enough these days, but he felt it better to keep a respectable distance whilst she drove the proverbial stake through his heart. Leaning his elbows on his thighs, he covered his face in his hands, pretending to stifle another yawn.

He heard her deep intake of breath and it did nothing to quell his own nervousness. Clearly whatever she had to say she was having to muster extra courage to do so. Magnum braced himself.

“Ethan and I broke up.”

That…hadn’t been what he expected. Not even close.

Sliding his hands down his face, he looked across at her as if he’d misheard. Her expression indicated he had not.

Staring at her for perhaps a moment too long, he tried to think of all of the reasons the apparently lovestruck young couple might have had for suddenly ending their relationship. Obviously, it was Ethan’s fault. Nobody in their right mind would choose to break up with Juliet as far as Magnum was concerned.

“What did he do?”

Higgins sighed, momentarily side-tracked by the suspicious look on his face. “Why do you assume he did anything?” He shrugged in reply, sitting back in his chair with an unreadable expression on his face. “And you’re not even going to at least _pretend_ to be sorry?”

Whilst he wasn’t beaming with delight at the news of her break-up, he certainly wasn’t acting the concerned friend and offering his condolences. Juliet wondered if secretly that were a good sign. Of course she hadn’t missed the longing glances he directed towards her when she was with Ethan, but she’d assumed that Magnum was just territorial over their friendship. At least that’s what she’d tried to convince herself, anyway.

Magnum shook his head wearily. “Honestly, Higgy? I haven’t got the energy.” He swept his hand out towards her and cocked his head. “I mean, I can if you want me to?! But, we both know how I feel about the guy.”

Silence descended upon them for a few minutes, and Higgins debated getting up and leaving.

“He asked me to marry him.” It came out of her mouth before she’d even realised, and this time Magnum’s attention was fully secured.

He swallowed hard, practically wincing as he asked. “And, you said?”

Higgins narrowed her eyes and shot him a patently withering glare. “Well quite obviously, Magnum, I said no.”

Relief flooded over him, and he found himself double-checking her left hand again, this time allowing a brief smile to settle on his lips.

Juliet huffed irritably, turning sideways to regard him as she gestured to the space between them. “Can you please come and sit next to me? I can’t do this with you all the way over there!”

Magnum frowned, wondering just what ‘this’ was, but he acquiesced to her request and got up to take a seat beside her. He was silent for a moment, feeling the defensive barriers he’d erected for this conversation slowly start to crumble. She stared straight ahead, as if afraid to meet his gaze. Tentatively, he reached out and placed his hand over hers, squeezing it gently.

“I’m sorry about you and Ethan.” She glanced down at their joined hands, feeling his intense stare focused on her face. “Not because I particularly like the guy, but… because I know he made you happy. So, I’m sorry… _really._ ”

Higgins looked up and met his eyes, a watery smile on her face as she finally allowed herself to acknowledge the very clear and deep affection in his gaze. It was real, and it was all consuming, and for a moment she felt her heart flutter wildly in her chest. She wasn’t sure anybody had ever looked at her with such devotion. So much so, that her next statement seemed wholly redundant.

“Ethan says you’re in love with me.”

Magnum closed his eyes for a moment, briefly wondering whether or not to deny the claim or simply put them both out of their misery. He’d often wondered how this scene would play out; whether she’d slap him, storm out, both, or perhaps worse, pity him for his unrequited feelings. He assumed he was about to find out. He really hoped it wasn’t the latter. Her anger and revulsion he could deal with, but he never wanted her pity.

Taking his silence as an admission, Higgins widened her eyes. Whilst she’d been surprised he hadn’t denied it, she also somehow _wasn’t_. Maybe he was as tired of this charade as she was?!

“You’re not going to deny it?” Her tone wasn’t accusatory, it was soft and somehow reassuring, and he found the courage to look up and meet her gaze.

Lips drawn into a sad line, he shook his head slowly. “We promised we’d be honest with each other. So…no. I’m not gonna lie to you.”

He heard her breath catch, and he wasn’t sure whether she was on the verge of anger or tears. But when she spoke it was confusion written all over her features.

“But…why did you persuade me to date him in the first place? I… I don’t understand. If you had feelings for me, then why…” she trailed off, brow furrowed as she tried to contemplate his thought processes.

He brushed his thumb over the back of her hand. “Like I said…”He shrugged helplessly. “I wanted you to be happy.”

Suddenly feeling paralysing guilt at the over the top displays of affection he’d had to sit through, and all the comments and remarks he’d endured about the many virtues of the wonderful Dr. Shah, Higgins rubbed her hand over her forehead and sighed.

“Why didn’t you tell me how you felt?”

Magnum smiled, a self-deprecating expression clouding his handsome face. “You are… the most important person in my life, Higgy. I didn’t want to lose you, I didn’t want to lose our friendship.” He managed a brief puff of laughter as he added. “And… honestly? I kind of think you’re the only one who _doesn’t_ know. Rick, TC, Kumu, Shammy… Hell, even Abby…”

Juliet turned abruptly in her seat and it stopped him in his tracks. “ _Abby_?”

He winced, immediately regretting having mentioned his ex-girlfriend. But the expectant glare Higgins had affixed on him left him no room to wheedle his way out of this one. Besides, if they were going to discuss their feelings and finally be honest with each other, Higgins should probably know that she’d been the reason his former girlfriend had ended their relationship. Although it had admittedly taken him months to figure that out for himself. For a PI, he knew his self-awareness was definitely an area for future improvement.

“I thought she ended your relationship because they wouldn’t allow her to practice on the island anymore?!” Higgins argued, her expression crest-fallen. “She broke up with you because of _me_?”

Magnum nodded, offering her a tentative smile as he confessed. “I guess she figured out I was in love with you before I even knew it myself.”

Higgins looked suitably floored by his admission, and she simply stared down at their joined hands, apparently - for perhaps the first time since he’d known her - at a loss for words.

Although her reaction over the Hamler case had sparked a tiny bit of hope within him that she maybe returned some of his feelings, Magnum was a realist. He knew the chances of Juliet not only feeling the same way about him but wanting to explore a relationship with him were low. So of course he offered her a way out. If nothing else, he was desperate to at least salvage their friendship.

“Look, Higgy… I’m not asking you for anything. I don’t want to ruin what we have, so even if all we ever are is friends…and business partners…that’s okay with me.”

Higgins took a deep breath, looking up at him and smiling even as she shook her head. “But…it’s _not_ okay with me.”

Magnum’s face practically crumpled, and he wondered if this was what it felt like to have your still beating heart ripped from your chest. He’d been honest when he’d told her all those months ago that he didn’t know what he would do without her, and the idea of her walking away from him now absolutely broke him.

“Higgins, look…” he countered hurriedly, desperately trying to find a way to fix it. He couldn’t lose her.

Her fingertips landed on his lips, and she leant in closer once she was certain he wasn’t going to interrupt her. “We’re not friends, Thomas. Not _just_ friends, anyway. And…I’m starting to consider the possibility that we never really were.”

She slid her fingertips gently down his lips, beyond the stubble on his chin, down his throat until her hand rested over his heart. Her reached up and clasped her hand in his, feeling that tiny spark of hope now start to explode in his chest. He caressed the back of her hand, each simultaneously moving closer until their lips were almost touching, and she smiled at the deep adoration she found in his eyes.

“What are we gonna do, Higgy?” He’d let her take the lead. The last thing he wanted to do was frighten her off. If they had to take this achingly slowly, so be it. He knew she was worth it; he knew _they’d_ be worth it.

Juliet pretended to ponder his question for only a moment, staring down at his full lips and wondering if kissing him would come close to the fantasies she’d secretly entertained about her friend and partner. “Well, I suppose you could always kiss me?”

Magnum needed no further encouragement. He cupped her cheek tenderly as he closed the remaining distance and kissed her slowly, delighting in the sounds that he enticed from her, and the way she melted into his arms. Her fingers grasped the fabric of his shirt and she slanted her mouth over his again, surging closer each time his tongue caressed hers and stoked the desire burning deep in the pit of her stomach.

Of course she knew that Magnum was handsome, she had perfectly functioning eyeballs, after all, and there had always been a physical attraction between them. But she’d often wondered if that chemistry - that certain spark that had ignited so many hours of bickering and arguing - would translate to more carnal situations. It seemed she had her answer, and Juliet suspected that once they took that final step and became lovers, it would be the most intense and intimate relationship of her life. She also somehow instinctively knew that he’d be the last man she ever invited into her bed.

His fingers curled around her waist and he half pulled her onto his lap, drawing back every few seconds to look at her, reassuring himself that this wasn’t all a dream - the product of a sleep addled mind.

Juliet stroked her fingers through his hair, gasping softly as they finally drew apart, and he tugged her bottom lip between his own. She smiled as he brushed a final, achingly tender kiss against her lips. Now reclined against his chest, Higgins felt her heart racing beneath her breast. She released his shirt from her grasp, and slid her palm over taut muscle. “I know I haven’t said it yet, but, Ethan was right…” She stared at the boisterous print of his shirt, taking a moment to quell her nerves. “ _I'm in love with you_.”

She wanted to leave no room for any further misunderstandings.

She’d never seen Magnum so quiet before, he appeared stunned, a wholly unreadable expression on his face as he held her tightly in his arms and seemed content to just stare at her pretty face.

“Please say it back, Magnum, or else I’ll think I’ve made a complete fool of myself.”

That seemed to shake him out of his reverie, and he looked at her as if she were insane. Reaching out, he gently tilted her chin up to make sure he could look her directly in the eyes. He wanted her to not just hear the words, but seem them written plainly on his face.

“I love you, Juliet…” He stated patiently. Fingertips caressing her cheek, he added. “Not as your business partner. Not as your friend. I’m in love with you. _I want a future with you_ …Marriage, kids… Afternoon shuffle-board games at the senior citizens centre…”

His smile was infectious and she couldn’t help laughing out loud. And despite her residual fears, and those old, haunting voices in her head that reminded her how easy it would be to lose it all, she knew she wanted nothing more than to spend her life beside Thomas Magnum.

So she’d dare to love him, even if it left her open to heartbreak. As a friend and partner, she trusted him with her life. And despite trying to convince herself otherwise, he was the only man she could ever imagine trusting with her heart.

“I want that too.” She assured him, pausing momentarily as she thought over his proposition. “Although we might have to reach a compromise over the shuffle-board suggestion.”

Pretending to ponder her counter-offer, he peered up momentarily at the ceiling. “I guess that’s not a total deal-breaker.”

Juliet rolled her eyes, smiling wistfully as she thought about all the time together they had wasted - of the pain they’d unintentionally caused each other. Beneath Magnum’s brash exterior, he was actually quite sensitive, even self-effacing. The idea that he could think she wouldn’t have ever been interested in him was ludicrous. She wasn’t blind to his faults - she’d even pointed them out on a few occasions - but they paled in comparison to all of the wonderful qualities she knew he possessed.

“You know, if you’d told me… I would have chosen you over Ethan.” She smiled up at him shyly as she admitted. “ _I’d have chosen you over anybody_...I’m sorry for not being brave enough to tell you how I felt…and for making you feel as if you couldn’t be honest with me about your feelings.”

Magnum shook his head, unwilling to accept her apology when he knew he carried an equal portion of the blame. “No, that’s on me!”

She leant her head on his shoulder and he hugged her closer. “I think this cone of ours could use a little work.” 

Giggling in agreement, Higgins bobbed her head. The truth had seemed to be absorbed somewhere in their supposed 'cone of silence'.

“I think there’s definitely room to improve our communication skills.” She looked up at him hopefully. “Especially if we want this to work out.”

“Agreed.” Magnum replied whole-heartedly, letting his chin rest lightly on the top of her head. He found himself unable to stifle the jaw cracking yawn that overtook him, and he smiled down at her in sheepish apology.

“I’m sorry, am I boring you, Magnum?” she teased, eyebrow arched in playful disdain.

“Never.” He hugged her tighter, looking like he was worryingly close to falling sleep. Higgins reached up and pressed her palm to his jaw, sweeping her thumb over his warm skin and looking up at him with obvious concern.

“It’s getting late. Perhaps I should go?” She wasn’t entirely sure why she said it, she certainly had no desire to leave him. In fact, sitting there within his embrace, she felt the most contented and the most at peace with the world than she could remember feeling in a long time.

“ _What_? No!” Magnum shook his head firmly, doing his best to fight off the tiredness that had suddenly overcome him.

He knew why he hadn’t been sleeping well, even after resolving the SUV issue. But that particular reason was now laying quite happily in his arms, and he knew sleep would be slightly easier to find tonight now that the fear of her eloping with Ethan was firmly out of the bounds of possibility.

“ _Stay_.” He almost pleaded, pressing a kiss against her temple. “Stay here tonight. I’m not… I’m not suggesting anything.” He held up his free hand - the one that wasn’t settled on her hip. “ I’ll even sleep on the couch! Just… stay here with me, tonight.”

Leaning her arm on his shoulder, Juliet sat up straight and leant against him, making sure he could see the patently exasperated expression on her face. Lips pursed, she regarded him with mild irritation.

“I will stay, Magnum. But on two conditions.” Smoothing her palm over his chest, she continued on. “Firstly, you will stop being so utterly ridiculous, and you will sleep _upstairs_ , _with me, in your bed_.” She felt butterflies flutter in her stomach as the words left her lips, both excited and nervous at the unspoken implication. But she continued on admirably, as if her hands weren’t shaking slightly against his chest. “Secondly, if for any reason you wake up during the night, you wake me up too… no matter what time it is. And that is strictly non-negotiable.”

Magnum appeared initially hesitant, but her stern expression left little room for argument. “Okay.” He nodded his head to indicate that he would happily comply, whispering ‘ _thank you_ ’ as he let his forehead rest against hers, and he wondered if he’d ever get used to the feeling of being allowed to hold her and touch her.

Thinking over her options again, Juliet slid her arm around his neck with obvious intent. She could feel his breath, hot against her cheek, and she found herself moving imperceptibly closer with each second that passed. “Actually, I have a third condition.”

Head cocked, Magnum awaited her instruction. His fingertips curled around her waist as he gazed down at her and he tried to comprehend how things had changed between them so acutely in little more than an hour. She loved him, she wanted to be with him. That was all that mattered. And suddenly everything else was just confetti.

Inclining her head until her lips were almost grazing his, she whispered her final demand.

“ _Kiss me_.”

x-x-x-x

By 9am the next day, Kumu was starting to become concerned. There had been no sign of either Juliet or Thomas that morning at the main house, and the lights of the guest house had never flickered on at dawn.

Whilst she had been quietly confident that they’d be able to work out their feelings, this _was_ Magnum and Higgins, so the possibility of a double homicide wasn’t entirely out of the question. The security alarm also hadn’t been set the previous evening, a fact which definitely warranted further investigation.

Creeping in through the front door, Kumu was relieved to see the house in no obvious state of disarray, and as she inched up the stairs she was greeted by perfect silence. She’d been in Magnum’s bedroom early in the morning on several occasions, either to bring him breakfast, or at Juliet’s bequest. It wasn’t as if he had an endless conveyor belt of female admirers staying over, in fact, there’d been nobody since Abby. She usually found him either snoring, unaware, or else sprawled miserably across the bed, unable to sleep. Recently, it had generally been the latter.

But, for her own benefit as well as the couple’s modesty, she elected to partially cover her eyes as she turned the corner into his room.

Kumu smiled triumphantly at the sight before her, beaming with obvious delight as she found Thomas and Juliet curled up together in the centre of the bed. Magnum lay flat on his back, arms wrapped tightly around Higgins, who appeared to be wearing one of his old, navy t-shirts. Her head rested on his shoulder, arm draped over his bare chest, and Kumu couldn’t help but sigh airily at the romantic sight.

Tip-toeing out of the room, Kumu tread carefully as she descended the stairs, content to leave the couple to their own devices now she was assured they were ok.

But, of course, years in the intelligence service had made Juliet a light sleeper, and so as quiet as Kumu had tried to be, the young woman now found herself awake.

Lifting her head from Magnum’s shoulder, Higgins swept a sleepy gaze around the bedroom, instantly detecting the presence of a familiar perfume.

‘ _Kumu_ ’ she mumbled, yawning and stretching before letting her head fall back against Thomas’ shoulder. She pressed her face into his neck, breathing him in and delighting in the sensation of their legs entwined beneath the sheets. Glancing up towards him, she noted how peaceful he looked, glad he’d slept through the night without stirring once. She kept her eyes trained on his face, placing a tender kiss against his chest.

His smile widened at the gesture and he stretched beneath her, tightening his hold on her as the final vestiges of sleep wore away and he opened his eyes to greet her.

“Hey.” He said sleepily, sweeping his palm up and down her back. Juliet lifted her head and met him halfway, her whispered ‘ _good morning_ ’ getting lost inside a hungry kiss. Her arms slid around his back as he rolled them over, and he stared down at her in a mixture of disbelief and absolute adoration.

“So, it turns out I was wrong…” Juliet admitted, her adoring expression mirroring his. She dismissed his concerned frown with a reverent smile, her entire face illuminated with happiness. “You’re still my best friend.”


	3. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, here's the epilogue! Thank you all for reading/reviewing.

Much to the surprise of their friends, the next six weeks saw Magnum and Higgins settle into something that resembled a healthy, happy relationship.

Yes, they still bickered on occasion. Yes, they squabbled during their working day. But they seemed genuinely thrilled to be together, and there was very real affection and tenderness in the glances and intimate moments their little family witnessed that defied anybody not to share in their happiness.

Magnum seemed back to his old self, the weariness in his face now long gone, and that spark of mischief once again burned brightly in his eyes. Higgins was much like her old self again - except this time, perhaps with slightly softer edges.

The day after their little heart to heart, Juliet had returned Ethan’s ring, and she’d not heard from the indignant doctor since that final meeting. She’d apologised sincerely for leading him on, for not being honest to him - or herself - over her feelings, and she’d drawn a very definite line under the whole situation. Magnum had stayed largely silent on the subject. Truth be told, he felt sorry for his rival. Losing Juliet wasn’t something he even wanted to contemplate, and he genuinely hoped that the young medic would move on and find happiness with someone else. Just not _his_ someone.

Ethan Shah was a good man, but he wasn’t the man for Juliet, and the closer she and Magnum got, the more she knew that to be true; Thomas was the love of her life, it really was as simple as that.

He loved her recklessly, without reason or condition, and in the last few weeks she’d felt that wall she’d built up around herself start to crumble. The hollow and wholly forced displays of affection she’d shared with Ethan were a foreign concept to her now. With Thomas it was different. She needed to be near him, she was compelled to touch him, even if it was taking his hand or stroking his hair, she longed for him in a way she couldn’t explain; to Juliet’s delight, he evidently felt the same way, and they gravitated towards each other.

She knew that they owed much of their new happiness to Kumu, and they were eternally grateful for her intervention. If their friend hadn’t insisted on them addressing their feelings there and then, Higgins assumed they’d still be stuck in their old ways - silently yearning, but never quite being brave enough to face up to their emotions.

Juliet had been right when she’d told Magnum that one day, he’d make somebody very happy. And quite honestly, she couldn’t imagine her life without him now.

Kumu had arrived at the main house bright and early that morning, pleased to find Magnum and Higgins reclined together in one of the hammocks outside, their coffee going untouched, cooling in their mugs. At their urging she’d joined them for breakfast, and the little ohana had enjoyed a very happy morning of good food and conversation.

Magnum had eventually excused himself to the guest house, ready to meet with their new prospective clients, whilst Juliet had said she’d had an errand to run.

Half an hour later and she held the biggest, most brightly coloured bouquet of exotic flowers that she could find, with a handwritten note attached to the bound stems for good measure.

Kumu was in the kitchen, pouring over the plans for a fund-raising mixer event that the cultural centre were planning on throwing. She had secured a venue, and Juliet had made a very generous donation to assist with the catering, which she’d suspected came from the woman’s own savings and not from the charitable foundation she managed on Robin’s behalf.

She smiled as she saw Juliet walk through the door, her attention instantly captured by the beautiful bouquet in her arms.

“Wow, does somebody have an admirer?” Kumu grinned, imagining she knew who had presented Higgins with such a gift.

Shaking her head and offering Kumu a slightly hesitant smile, she held them out towards her friend. “No. Actually, they’re for you. I… _We_ …” she corrected, “wanted to say ‘thank you’.”

As delighted as their recipient seemed, Higgins also noted an element of confusion.

“That’s very kind of you, Juliet. But I’m not entirely sure what you’re thanking me for!”

“For…well, I suppose you could say…staging an intervention. Thomas and I are…very grateful to you. And I hope you know how much you mean to us… to me, especially. You were my first friend when I arrived here on the island, and your kindness and friendship have been much appreciated.”

Suddenly feeling incredibly awkward, Juliet handed the bouquet to her friend and then shrank back, hands now knotted in front of her as she watched Kumu look over the flowers in obvious delight.

“They’re absolutely beautiful, _thank you_. But, you didn’t have to do this!” Smiling patiently, and in a patently maternal manner, Kumu assured her. “I’m glad to help, any way I can. And…you know that I’m always here for you if you need to talk.”

Kumu knew that Higgins had a strained relationship with her father, and in her mother’s absence, she’d been lacking the emotional support that family provided. Whilst she assumed from the little that the young woman shared, that her family had hardly been an outwardly demonstrative lot to begin with, she knew Juliet missed the presence of a mother figure. And just like with Maleah, Kumu would be there whenever either of the young women needed an older, perhaps slightly maternal shoulder to cry on.

“I do. Thank you.” Higgins nodded, her tone conveying her deep appreciation.

Kumu regarded her friend intently, casting an analytical gaze over the Brit, who visibly squirmed under her scrutiny.

“Are you happy, Juliet?” she asked, already quite certain of the answer given the young woman’s demeanour over the last few weeks.

“Yes.” Higgins smiled, finding it impossible to stop her smile from growing even wider as she thought about the reason for her sudden change in mood, lately. “I really am.”

“I’m glad.” Kumu stated sincerely. It made _her_ heart happy to see the couple finally having overcome their fears. “Thomas is a good boy. And, he thinks the world of you.” She raised an eyebrow and smiled, feeling that might be a slight understatement where Magnum’s feelings were concerned.

Higgins bobbed her head, looking down shyly at her hands as she replied barely above a whisper. “As I do of him.”

Kumu beamed, and the two women simply looked at each other, each grinning and smiling even as a blush rose up Juliet’s cheeks.

Finally managing to rein in her good spirits, Juliet cleared her throat and gestured out towards the guest house. “We’re meeting with a new client in fifteen minutes, so I should…” she tilted her head towards the door and Kumu nodded in understanding.

Suddenly remembering their plans for the evening, Higgins paused and turned to regard her friend one final time. “Oh, are you still on for poker tonight?”

“Wouldn’t miss it!” Kumu confirmed, looking forward to spending the evening with the ohana; and thinking about how to spend her winnings. Those boys _would_ keep underestimating her!

“Jolly good!” Higgins nodded, looking awkwardly between the doorway and Kumu’s direction. Suddenly stepping forward, she reached out towards Kumu and pulled her very gingerly into a hug. Higgins wasn’t a hugger, she wasn’t overtly physical with her friends, so the gesture caught Kumu off-guard. Perhaps Magnum’s tactile nature was starting to rub off on her.

Letting her head rest for a split second on Kumu’s shoulder, she repeated her very sincere gratitude once again. _“_ Thank you.”

Kumu laughed softly, rubbing the young woman’s back with her free hand, as she clutched her bouquet in the other arm. She felt Juliet hug her tighter, and she smiled as she contemplated yet again just how happy she was to have had at least some small part in helping her friends find happiness. 

“ _Any time._ ”

x-x-x-x

By the time Higgins made it out the guest house Magnum had already prepared for their visitors. A jug of water plus two clean glasses lay on the kitchen counter, ready to be poured. Along with a large, man-sized box of Kleenex, and a notepad and pen.

Juliet stared at the items, hands planted on her hips, and she looked up at him expectantly. “Have you suddenly learnt short-hand in the hour I’ve been gone?”

Noting her curious expression at the paper and pen, as opposed to either her laptop or an ipad, Magnum shrugged. “I figured they’d be more comfortable if we made notes the old fashioned way.”

Higgins rolled her eyes, coming to a stop beside him. “They’re elderly, Magnum, not Amish.”

He laughed in response, arching an eyebrow inquisitively at her, as she sidled closer and placed her palm against his chest. Magnum clasped his hand over hers, leaning down towards her and pressing his lips to hers in a gentle kiss.

"Not that I’m complaining, but aren’t we kind of at work right now?” He narrowed his brown eyes, half-heartedly reminding her of their own zero tolerance PDA policy whist working. Once they were out of PI mode, they could tear each other’s clothes off and it wouldn’t matter - but Higgins was determined that in their hours as business partners they’d act with the strictest professionalism.

Give or take a few stolen kisses here or there, the occasional embrace, mischievously wandering hands, and sex on her desk, it was all going absolutely to plan.

Loathed to part her lips from his, she whispered. “Well, we do have eleven minutes until we’re technically ‘on the clock’.”

Eleven minutes. He could work with that.

Needing no further encouragement, Magnum swept her up into his arms, hand sliding up underneath her blouse to stroke the small of her back. Her fingers caressed the nape of his neck and she pulled him back down towards her for a second, more explorative kiss that soon turned into a third, and a fourth. Juliet moaned as his tongue slipped past her lips, their kisses becoming suddenly hungry and demanding until their surroundings and the impending arrival of their clients forced them apart.

Both rendered slightly breathless, they remained standing in an embrace. Juliet gathered the bottom of his shirt in her hand and tugged him closer until his hips lay flush against hers and she could feel the cold marble of the counter top pressing into her back. 

“ _Hello_.” She said softly, reattempting the greetings she’d wanted to exchange before Magnum had side-tracked her with his tribute to Mad Men.

Peering down at her as if she were his entire world, Magnum kissed the tip of her nose and smiled. “Hey, Higgy.”

He pulled her into a tight hug, letting his lips linger over her temple as her perfume and the now familiar scent of her shampoo washed over him. “Kumu like her flowers?”

“She did, very much.” Juliet confirmed, laying her head against his shoulder and casting a furtive glance at the watch on his wrist. The Hendersons were an octogenarian couple, and she assumed they wouldn't be impressed to find their private investigators feeling each other up. No matter how tempting it might be.

Extracting herself from his arms, she sought out her reflection in the oven door and adjusted her blouse, pulling her bra strap back up and combing her fingers through her hair ensure she didn’t look suitably ravished. The thought brought a smile to her face. Turning to face Magnum, she reached out and brushed her thumb over his lips, dispersing the faint traces of her pink lipstick from his mouth.

He captured her hand and kissed her wrist, still delighting in the idea that he was allowed to have these intimate moments with her. And perhaps still also in disbelief that she’d chosen him.

It can often be awkward at first, when friends transition into a romantic relationship. But he’d been shocked at just how easy it had been between them. After that first night, there had been no stilted conversations, no regrets, and there had been no hesitation when they’d finally crossed the line into becoming lovers. It felt right and natural, and Juliet now understood what Kumu had meant about not having to try quite so hard if you really loved somebody.

Of course all relationships took work and compromise, especially for two people who were almost polar opposites in so many respects. But they’d work through any challenges together, as a team; as they always did.

Because even after six short weeks together, each of them knew instinctively that this was _it_.

Slipping back into work mode, Magnum began to run over the facts of the case in his mind. Processing what little detail their new clients had provided them with via telephone only the day before.

“Okay, so it’s the son in-law they think stole the money, right?”

Eyes once again raised skyward, Higgins huffed out a sigh. “I knew you weren’t listening to me!”

“ _I was_!” Magnum held up his hands defensively, relenting slightly as a brief smile settled on his face and he gestured towards her helplessly. “Just…you know, you were wearing a towel. I was distracted.”

His mind wandered slightly off track, and he found himself revisiting images of the gloriously naked blonde, clad only in a white towel that barely covered the tops of her thighs, hair pinned up and a blush on her cheeks from the heat of the bath water she’d been about to immerse herself in only moments earlier; Much to the delight of the man eagerly waiting for her to join him in the bubble filled tub.

Higgins walked towards the patio, depositing the glasses and jug of water onto the table as she cast a brief glance around the corner to keep a watchful eye out for their visitors.

Shaking him out of his reverie, she replied testily. “Yes, but in that moment, Thomas, I was your business partner, not your…your girlfriend.”

She’d never tried that label out before, and his smile only widened at the connotation. Juliet found herself smiling too, but she quickly schooled her lips back into a suitably disapproving frown. The phone call had been tedious at best. Mr. Henderson was an absolutely appalling historian, unable to tell either a linear story or relate the key aspects of the case in any sort of sensible order. Of course the fact he also kept referring to Juliet as ‘Mr. Magnum’s secretary’ had also irked her no end and he seemed oblivious to her many attempts to correct him.

They stood side by side on the edge of the patio, Magnum grinning from ear to ear, and Higgins trying her best not to.

After a few moments of silence she felt him gently jostle her shoulder with his arm. Trying to appear oblivious, she ignored it until he did it again for a second time. Juliet sighed, her stern expression crumpling as she found herself smiling at his juvenile behaviour and she returned the gesture as they both stood there, beaming like idiots. 

She felt his eyes on her and didn’t need to turn her head to know he was staring down at her. Seconds later his lips fluttered against her bare shoulder, and she shivered at the sensation.

Almost disappointed to see their elderly clients making their way down the property, Juliet nodded towards the slowly ambling pair. “Ah, there they are now!”

Mr. Henderson held a walking stick draped over his arm, using it only to point at various flowers and shrubberies that they passed along the way. His wife held onto his arm, happy to stop and discuss each plant he pointed out to her. At this rate it would be dark before they even made it to the guest house.

Magnum watched them approaching with an almost sentimental smile, whilst Higgins eyed them with increasing impatience.

Frowning suddenly, Magnum quirked an eyebrow. “So, it’s the _Gundersons_?”

He heard the deep sigh leave Higgins’ lips and tried unsuccessfully to prevent a chuckle of laughter bubbling up from his chest.

“It’s the Hendersons…as you are well aware.”

Magnum shrugged, an infuriating smirk still plastered across his irritatingly handsome face. It was a lethal combination, and Juliet felt her exasperation growing as she realised he was teasing her.

“Stop it, Magnum!”

“I’m not doing anything!”

“Yes, you are!”

“I’m not!” He chuckled merrily.

Fighting against the smile that was threatening to break her consternation, Higgins felt her lips twitch as she retorted. “You’re insufferable. I hope you know that!”

He nudged her shoulder again, and she felt her resolve finally slip. She turned her head to find him - somewhat unsurprisingly - gazing down at her with the sort of adoring expression that made her stomach dip and her breath catch in her chest. She was certain he’d find the same raw emotion in her eyes.

Content that their visitors were still admiring the botanical delights of Robin’s Nest, Juliet inclined her head and met him halfway for a brief, yet achingly tender kiss. Nothing else needed to be said, and they stood side by side in an easy silence.

Eventually, their new clients arrived at the guest house, and the pair slipped back into work mode as they made their introductions and encouraged the older couple to explain why they’d come in search of their services.

Juliet discretely rolled her eyes as Mr. Henderson began to relay their story.

“ _As I told your wife yesterday_ …”

But this time, she made no attempt to correct him.


End file.
